The blog is going to finish here. There were wins for Johanna Konta, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams, but Angelique Kerber crashed out. Thanks for reading. Bye.
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A big win for Reilly Opelka. The American youngster’s beaten Fabio Fognini, seeded 11th, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.
Well Venus Williams was in a hurry. The former champion beat Saisai Zheng 6-1, 6-0 in 65 minutes.
By the way Andy Murray earlier got his first singles win since hip surgery at the start of the year.
Andy Murray claims his first singles victory since January, advancing 60 61 in just 43 minutes in Mallorca.
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 26, 2019
Next up: third seed Norbert Gombos on Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/rxoc08qAxy
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Novak Djokovic beats Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
The world No1 is all smiles. His Spanish opponent was no match for him.
Cripes, Reilly Opelka served for the match against Fabio Foginini, let the Italian off the hook, lost a tie-break and has been taken into a fourth set. The unpredictable Fognini might be dangerous now.
Venus Williams is unlikely to go all the way, but she is a good bet to make the second round. Not the biggest of calls, mind you - she leads Saisai Zheng 6-1, 3-0.
Dan Evans beats Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3!
An odd, baffling match, in the grand Evans tradition, but the Brit is through to the second round after finding his feet in the fourth set. It was ugly, it was strange, it was angry from Evans at times, but he has the win and that’s all that matters.
Adrian Mannarino smashes up a racket and stands slumped at the back of the court, a picture of frustration and despair. He’s been broken at the end of a draining game and Dan Evans, somehow, will serve for the match.
Novak Djokovic isn’t in the mood for any nonsense. He leads by two sets against the outgunned Roberto Carballes Baena.
A hold for Dan Evans as the tension rises in the fourth set. He leads Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 4-3 and is two games from the second round. Can he clamber over the line?
By the way Daniil Medvedev dealt with a troublesome hamstring and beat Pranjash Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. A good win for the fifth seed. In other news American beanpole Reilly Opelka is dominating the No11 seed Fabio Fognini. The big-serving Opelka leads by two sets and a break.
And now Djokovic is a set and a break up. He currently resides on Easy Street. Meanwhile 19-year-old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska has beaten experienced Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
Novak Djokovic has taken the first set 6-4 against Roberto Carballes Baena. All very serene for the world No1.
Angelique Kerber is out! The 2016 champion stormed back in the second set but Kristina Mladenovic recovered her poise to win 7-5, 0-6, 6-4. That’s a great victory for the Frenchwoman. Novak Djokovic is 5-4 up in the first set against Roberto Carballés Baena and not having things all his own way. Dan Evans has lost the third set 6-2 against Mannarino having won the first two.
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Dan Evans was rocking half an hour ago. He was in a ratty mood and looked to be on the verge of an implosion. Instead he regained his poise and allowed his tennis to do the talking, a ploy which has seen him take a two-set lead over Adrian Mannarino. That’s the cue for me to take a break and get some food.
Jo Konta’s second-round opponent will be another Russian – Margarita Gasparyan was comfortable against Priscilla Hon earlier.
Fading force Tomas Berdych was sent on his way earlier, by the by. Jenson Brooksby, an 18-year-old American, beat Berdych in four sets.
Daniil Medvedev has a two-set lead against Pranjesh Gunneswaran. Medvedev beat Djokovic recently. The young Russian’s one to watch, though he insists he isn’t a contender for the title. Modest, much? Speaking of Djokovic, he’s about to get going against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena.
Good old Dan Evans. He was in danger of beating himself 10 minutes ago; now he’s carved out a couple of breaks to lead Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 4-3.
Daniil Medvedev, the fifth seed, is a set and a break up against Prajnesh Gunneswaran. Meanwhile Dan Evans has allowed his focus to waver against Adrian Mannarino, who’s broken in the second set.
Ashleigh Barty beats Zarina Diyas 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Panic over for the world No2.
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Former champion Angelique Kerber finds herself a set down to Kristina Mladenovic, but the German leads by a break in set two. That one could go the distance.
Dan Evans had a fine run here three years ago and he’s looking good against Adrian Mannarino, snatching the opening set 6-4. Elsewhere Ash Barty appears to have steadied the ship against Zarina Diyas. The Australian leads by a break in the third set.
Alex de Minaur is a set up against Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The Australian youngster took it 6-3. Elsewhere Dan Evans is about to serve for the first set against Adrian Mannarino.
Ash Barty’s feeling better now. The world No2’s taken the second set 6-3 and levelled her match against Zarina Diyas.
Meanwhile...
Here we go!
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 26, 2019
Packed crowd for the Day 1 night session in Mallorca, as @andy_murray kicks off his #ATPChallenger return. pic.twitter.com/AW9yPuPi5p
Johanna Konta beats Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 4-6, 6-2!
It was angry at times, unconvincing at others, but in the end it’s a deserved victory for the British No1, who seals it when her young Russian finishes with back-to-back double faults.
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Humans are terrifying. https://t.co/UAMS7cf3ym
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 26, 2019
The dangerous Petra Martic has passed an awkward examination against Tamara “Zizou” Zidansek. The 22nd seed won 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
So Jo Konta does break again - and this time she consolidates the break and leads Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 4-6, 4-1. On Arthur Ashe, meanwhile, Ash Barty is faring better in set two against Zarina Diyas. The French Open champion was all over the place in the opening set, but she leads 3-2 in the second.
Karolina Pliskova wasn’t at her best, but she’s through. She had a double break in the second set and still got taken to a second tie-break, but she’s through. The third seed has beaten Tereza Martincova 7-6, 7-6. As for Jo Konta, she’s going to have to break again against Daria Kasatkina. They’e back on serve in the third set on Court 17.
Johanna Konta clenches her fist at the end of a poor service game from Daria Kasatkina. The Russian misses a lot, too much, and is broken by the fired-up Brit, who leads 6-1, 4-6, 2-0. It’s Konta’s to lose again.
Anastasija Sevastova got the job done against Eugenie Bouchard. A straightforward win for the 12th seed: 6-3, 6-3.
Zarina Diyas has closed out that first set in impressive fashion, winning it 6-1 against Ashleigh Barty. The world No2 needs to sharpen up as a matter of urgency.
An angry Johanna Konta has been dragged into a third set by Daria Kasatkina, who’s nabbed the second 6-4. Elsewhere there’s a shock brewing on Arthur Ashe, where Ash Barty is 5-0 down to Zarina Diyas.
Caroline Garcia, the 27th seed and a top-10 player in the past, is out. She’s lost 7-6, 6-2 to the unseeded Tunisian, Ons Jabeur.
Ashleigh Barty’s in a spot of bother early on. The world No2 trails 3-0 against Zarina Diyas.
Johanna Konta is arguing with the umpire again. Another call’s gone against her. Oh dear. Daria Kasatkina holds to lead 5-3 in the second set. The crowd are getting on Konta’s back.
Harriet Dart’s tournament hasn’t lasted long. The Londoner’s been thrashed 6-3, 6-1 by Romania’s Ana Bogdan. That’s one Brit down.
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Johanna Konta is fuming on Court 17 after a disputed call goes against her. She engages in a long debate with the umpire, who isn’t about to change his mind. Konta is doubly annoyed because she had a break point. She has another one, but she’s too annoyed to play it properly and nets an easy backhand.
Tomas Berdych, a semi-finalist here in 2012, was given the runaround by Jenson Brooksby in the first set, but he’s woken up the second and taken it 6-2. And he’s just broken at the start of the third set.
On Arthur Ashe world No2 Ash Barty is underway against Zarina Diyas. On Louis Armstrong, meanwhile, Karolina Pliskova is a set and two breaks up against poor old Tereza Martincova now.
A wobble from Johanna Konta and that allows Daria Kasatkina, who was blown away in 23 minutes in the first set, to break for a 3-2 lead in the second. The Russian has been threatening. Meanwhile Karolina Pliskova has won a first-set tie-break against Tereza Martincova, who served for it at 5-4.
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Kei Nishikori is through to the second round. The seventh seed’s opponent, Marco Trungelliti, has retired while trailing 6-1, 4-1.
Eugenie Bouchard - remember her? She’s a set down to Anastasija Sevastova. It went 6-3 to the Latvian.
Karolina Pliskova picks a good moment to raise her game. The third seed breaks back just when Tereza Martincova serves for the opening set. Then she holds to lead 6-5.
Jo Konta is cruising, but another Brit’s a set down. Harriet Dart trails Ana Bogdan, who took the opening set 6-3 on Court 14.
Daria Kasatkina drags a forehand horribly wide and the first set is in the bag for Jo Konta, who takes it 6-1. All very polished from the British No1.
Kei Nishikori’s cruising against Marco Trungelliti. He’s taken the first set 6-1 against the unseeded Argentinian. Meanwhile Tomas Berdych is in trouble against the USA’s Jenson Brooksby, who’s taken the first set 6-1 against the experienced Czech.
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Johanna Konta continues to dominate against Daria Kasatkina, who’s making a lot of errors. Konta is looking too strong at the moment and breaks again to lead 4-1.
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Remember Eugenie Bouchard? The 2014 Wimbledon finalist doesn’t last too long at the slams these days and she’s made a slow start against Anastasija Sevastova on Court 5. The 12th seed leads 3-0. Elsewhere Kei Nishikori has an early break agaist Marco Trungelliti.
A fine start for Johanna Konta, who breaks straight away on Court 17. Daria Kasatkina’s in trouble early on. Elsewhere third seed Karolina Pliskova is struggling against Tereza Martincova in an all-Czech battle on Louis Armstrong. Martincova has the early break.
And ... play. The 2019 US Open is underway!
The players are out, the stands aren’t particularly packed and we’ll have tennis soon on a sunny day at Flushing Meadows. A fortnight of non-stop tennis starts here.
Play will be underway soon and our early focus is on Johanna Konta. The British No1 got to the last eight at Wimbledon, where she blew up against Barbora Strycova, and hasn’t been too hot since then. But she’s feeling good and will feel she has the power to deal with Daria Kasatkina, a lovely, subtle player. Elsewhere Harriet Dart, who got to round three at Wimbledon, faces Romania’s Ana Bogdan.
Form guides
Preparatory reading
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Preamble
Recovered from Wimbledon yet? No? Too bad. It’s hot in New York, expectations are sky high and the 2019 US Open open starts here, with all eyes on the grudge match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova later on. That’s easily the biggest bout of the opening day, even if both players have been in better nick. Williams has struggled with injuries all year and as for Sharapova, well, she hasn’t quite been the same since her return from a doping ban. Still, there’s no love lost between the pair, so expect fireworks when they lock horns.
Plenty to get through before all that, though. On the women’s side there’s Ashleigh Barty, the French Open champion, against Zarina Diyas, while Britain’s Johanna Konta faces a tricky test against the unseeded Russian Daria Kasatkina in the opener on Court 17. On the men’s side, meanwhile, world No1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic opens up against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, while Britain’s Dan Evans takes on wily French lefty Adrian Mannarino.
Play begins at: 4pm BST, 11am in New York.
